Nut lock



May 17, 1932. R. H. .loHNsroN 1,858,709

NUT LOCK Filed Oct. 2, 1929 Enventor 1f 16 Elf. Ehm-90711 Patented May 17, 1932 ROBERT H. JoHNsoN, or wAsHINaTQN, DISTRICT 0F- COLUMBIA NUT Locx Application mea october 2, reza serial No. 396,877.

The present invention relates to improvements in nut locks and has for an object to provide secure means for making fast the nut upon the bolt.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, compact and inexpensive construction in which very little modification is made either in the nut or in the bolt.

A further object of the invention lies in providing an improved nut lock in which the nut may be locked at any position and will be securely held in that position until manually released; the releasing operation belng convenient and quick.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described herinafter, and will be more particularly pointed out in the claim appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an improved nut lock constructed according to the present invention. Y

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same with the parts in the locked position.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross section taken on the llne 4-4 in Figure 3 with the parts in the unlocked position, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the locking element employed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 designates a bolt having a threaded end portion 11. This bolt may be of conventional construction except that a chamber 12 is made near the end thereof. This chamber traverses the bolts at substantially right angles to its axis. A shoulder 13 divides a larger diameter of the chamber from a smaller portion thereof indicated at 14. Within the chamber is slidably mounted a head or plunger 15 carrying one or more spring lingers 16 having the outwardly sprung ends indicated at 17. The plunger 15 is held within the chamber 12 by the shoulder 13 at one end andbya burredportion 18 at the other end. -The spring fingers 16 are so grouped on the plungerfl as toy enablethesame to projecti i i through the smaller opening 14 of the chainber whereby the lingers may project through anyone of a number of slots 19 made in ac'ollar 2O projecting from the nut 2l. A

In the" drawings I show the threads strippedfrom the 'end portion of the 'bolt which contains the chamber 12 and''the'*lock-`V ing elementl, and this is the preferred arrangement, although the locking element might be contai'nedin an thefbolt. Y

In the manufacture, both the bolt and-the nut are conventional articles of manufacture', the bolt either during or after manufacture being bored with the chamber 12 andthe opening 14. 1

The nut 21 either during or subsequent to manufacture V-rnay be' equipped `withthe slotted "collar 20. Of course the locking element 15k is manufactured separat-ely andA afterwards assembled in the bolt," it'I being understood that the locking element is"iirst` inserted in` thev chamber 12 4and Vtheoutel edge ofthe chamber is thereafter burred to" prevent the loss of the locking ,elementl If desiredthe free ends o f the ngers` 153 may be tied ,together when initially device or acap might be putover these fingers to hold them grouped togetherin small compass to facilitate their throughf thf 'narrow opening 14. AIn the usel of the device, the parts will normally occupy the position shown in Figure 4 in which the plunger 15 and its ingers'l are retracted within the chamber and the free ends 17 of such fingers are contained wholly within'the contines of the bolt periphery. The nut 21 is now free to rotate on the threads 11 of the bolt l0 to such position as may be' required. When the nut is screwed home, until one of the slots 19 is presented to the opening 14. A diametrically opposed slot 19 will register with the open burred end of the chamber 12 whereby an instrument may be inserted through the aligned slot and chamber for the purpose of shoving the plunger 15 to the position shown in Figures 2 and 3. This movement of the plunger is extension piece onV inserting it is tightened.

tend to retain accompanied by the projection of the fingers 16.

When the outer tip end of these fingers gain freedom beyond the side of the collar 20, due to their inherent elasticity they will spread out and constitute a yielding grip for holding the locking element in the locked position. 1 The plurality of fingers act to reinforce and strengthen one another and to insure the proper grasping `by at least one of the fingers whichv will hold the partsV v locked.

To release the device, fingers are squeezed `together inthe hand or in an appropriate implement, and such fingers are pushed inwardly until they escape from the slot 19 which they lately occupied and until they assume substantially theV position shown in Figure 4, The fingers will this inner unlocked position byreason of their elastic expansion against the side walls of the opening lei.Y The nut is now free to be rotated backwardly oil on the bolt. Y

It -isfobvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted-only bythe scope of the following claim. l v

What is claimed is: f

An improved vnut lock comprising a slotted nut, av threaded bolt for receiving said nut and having a shouldered chamber extending laterally therethrough with a smaller openingbeyond the shoulder, a plunger mounted to reciprocatevin said chamber and confined therein, and a group of spring fingers carried by the central portion of said plunger and adapted Yto project out through said smaller opening,v and to pass through 'the slot in the nut, said fingers having outwardly ilared terminal portions for expanding against therouter portion of the slotted nut and to hold the device in the locked position.

' y is ROBERT H. JOHNSON.

the free ends of'- 

